Fort Worth daily gazette. (Fort Worth, Tex.) 1882-1891, 1887-04-21
4 REVOLT.
A Local Assembly of Knights, Led by
Their Master Workman, Cry
Out Against Tyranny.
POwderlY and the Executive Committee,
as Well as District Master Workman
Quinn, Severely Handled.
a Strong Combination Formed by New
York Manufacturers Against Knights
of Labor and SiIversmiths.

NEW YORK, April Matthew Barre,
master workman of local assembly No.
1866, the tin and sheet-iron workers, and
also member of the executive committee
of the Land and Laoor party, has issued
an official statement severely criticising
several leaders of the knights of Labor,
including General Master Workman Pow
derby. This local assembly itself has made
charges against assembly No.
40 for outrage upon it.
The local assembly refused to pay
! an assessment levied by n 40 to pay for
PythagOras hall, and No. 10 began a series
of prosecutions against it. Mr.. Barre
begins: 'When shall the incubus that
presses so heavily on he struggling
masses of labor be lifted? When shall
| the Workingmen rebel against q tyranny
more CALLING than any they have ever
experienced from employers? Have
they been dOminsted so long by
arrogant and ambitious men who have
obtained control of District Assembly
No. 40, and through that of the order
they are no longer aOle to demand their
rights? Do they not see more and more
every day disposition on the part of
our District Master Workman Quinn, our
committee on state of the order, our
Hawley DTury KunsOn and all small fry
to ride rough-shod over those who placed
them in pOwer?' Further on Mr.. Barre
remarked that "only a short time ago
Mr.. PoWderly was Almost idOlized in the
order, and thousands OF honest men
would have followed where he LED. and
yet $4,000 was his price. Probably he
! has no idea that ne ms been bought, but
the change that has come over him
within the past few months can be ac-
counted for in no other way. As soon as
he anu 8 ms OFitV Of the executive board
had been taken care of tbs purposes of
the officers and satellites of NJ. - began
t. be sea. They determined to obtain
PythaGOras hall even if every trade and
labor organization within the Jurisdiction
of No. ~ went TO smash, Then they
added at least so per cent. to the rent of
every union meeting in the hall. These
men Claimed the right 10 levy any assess
men THEY choose and woe to those
VINO refused to comply. They issue
ediCts OF suspension, kidnap members Of
locals and transfer them to others, order
them to strike or not to strike except st
their own pleasure, and antsgOuiZe the
trades unions Whenever they can do so
with impunity. If the Knights do not
call 3 halt the iron grip of these tY-
rants will tighten until their bondage Is
more degrading"
A movement against the Knights Of
Labor and trade organizations generally
was started Yesterday in every silver
smith shop in the city and presumably
throughout the country. This movement
B.
fiuCe, is due malrIy to the strike of the
Chasers employed by the Whiting Manu-
featuring Company. UnleSs some
compromise Is reached this evening,
1t will have the effect of
shutting out every Knight of Labor
who is employed in the business The
action was taken IN pursuance of sn IN
derstsnding between various establish
ments in the trade vito have long been
waiting a suitable opportunity to launch
q thunder bolt against trade union or
ganization. The result of the Degotia-
tiOns between the bosses was
that at certain hours yesterday q
notice, posted in every mandatory in
the trade, barring from employment in
the shops forever any person aiding or
abetting the striking chaSers in the Whit
ing Company. 1t is aimed directly against
the Knights of Labor and trades Organi-
cations, to which the silversmiths, as
rule, belong. The employers have long
claimed to suffer grieVOus wrongs at the
hands of the Knights. irresponsible
committees, not composed of en-
ployes of the shops where requests
were to be made, have demanded this
that and the other thing and some
ridiculous and fanCiful grievances have
been laid before the bosses. The trouble
in TIfany's silver department some time
since, and lstterly the stlike of the Whit
ing chasers, led the bosses to make some
organized resistance to these demands.
The Whiting Chasers wanted the concern
to discharge five apprentices. the pro-
pTietOrS saw no reason for doing so and
refused. ThereupOn the strike was ordered
and now nearly all the men ia the shop
are out of work. The policy of the trades
in each strike has been to avoid trouble
in other shops, and contributions for the
support of the strikers have been pouring
in from those of that trade at work who
belong to the same organization as the
so it was resolved that all the
bosses should consolidate their interests
and make the present strike the last case.
The men in the silversmiths' trade are
fairly organized and mostly belong to
the Knights of Labor. TIE organization of
the manufac turers is said to be on q solid
basis The scheme was mOOted some
time since but fell through. Later, how
ever, it was revived aud put on work
ing foundation. 1t is said that each man
lfacturer will shut down MS shop for shy
length Of time if necessary, aud there has
been talk of each firm putting SO 900 in
4 pool as an earnest of no surrender.
Blaine IN Chicago.